OFFSIDE REMARKS: Rocco did not answer one key question: will he pull out of Cosmos if they are a D3 team

Cosmos primary owner Rocco Commisso issued a statement Thursday about U.S. Soccer withdrawing its Division 2 sanctioning for the North American Soccer League in 2018.

So, what did he say?

Not exactly what many fans and media wanted to hear.

Commisso talked about the team’s grand history and why he decided to invest in the team.

He spoke about being shocked about the U.S. Soccer board of directors’ decision, which was “completely arbitrary and unfair.”

He added that he will do everything in his power to reverse the USSF’s decision.

He communicated the fact he decided to invest in the Cosmos with “the expectation that the United States Soccer Federation would allow us to play at the Division 2 level long enough for me to work with the NASL’s leadership to strengthen and grow our league.”

And he talked about how the Cosmos plan to play quality soccer for the remainder of this season.

And about 2018, nothing.

Nothing about if the NASL is a D3 league next whether he will return as the team owner. Nothing at all.

I would like to think fans would want to know whether the team will return to a D3 NASL. Don’t you?

About The Author

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered eight World Cups, seven Olympics and all 21 MLS Cups. He writes about New York City FC, New York Cosmos and the U.S. national team for Newsday and pens a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has two more in the works, including one about the Rochester Lancers.